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| As many as - not one more and not one less! |
November
18, 2011
'As
many as...' (1)
John
1:
12 But as many as received him, to them gave
he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
This
popular passage is misunderstood by many. They understand 'received' Christ' as referring to the new birth,
instead of conversion to the gospel of Christ. This is obviously an error.
It
is very clear that three distinct and specific things are mentioned in the two
verses:
-
'received him': man's act of believing and receiving Christ...
-
'given the power to become the sons of God' ...
-
'born of God' the new birth.
And
the logical and chronological order of these three actions are obvious:
-
new birth: 'born of God',
- conversion: 'received Him',
-
experiencing the right and authority to claim divine sonship - given 'power to
become the sons of God.'
A
man who believes in Jesus Christ gives evidence that he has eternal life, for
'whosoever believes have eternal life.' Whosoever believes is born of God, and
has the right and authority to claim divine sonship. It is obvious that one must be
born of God first, which enables him to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, and
in believing he is given the power to become, to claim himself as a son of God.
It
is a common error to equate being given the power to become the sons of God as the
new birth! It is the new birth by the sovereign activity of God that enables a
man to believe. And it is believing the gospel truth that enables a man to
experience the power to become a son of God.
Believing
that the unregenerate sinner, i,e, dead in trespasses and sins, can so 'receive
Christ' to be born again, is so contrary to Christ's own declaration, 'Except a
man be born again, he CANNOT...' This common notion repudiates the declaration
of Christ, and that is no light matter!
John
1:11 'as many as' has also been perverted in another way, that is, that God has
effectually and irresistibly predestinated that all the elect shall so receive
Christ (through hearing the gospel, and believing it). This is plainly contrary
to the Scriptures, as well as historical facts. Such a notion also erroneously
conditioned regeneration on the preaching and the hearing and believing of the
gospel.
It
is typical of even the Calvinists to confuse the preacher's gospel call blessed to the conversion of sinners as the
divine effectual call!. But the effectual call is God's direct and immediate
activity in calling an elect out of his native state of sin and death to that
of righteousness and eternal life.
Such
understanding of salvation is no longer by God's free grace alone but tainted
and adulterated with man's activities. It is based on the fable that the
activities of life can precede that life. Life must precede any activity of that
life! The difference is fundamental!
November
22, 2011
'As
many as...' (2)
John
17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal
life to as many as thou hast given him.
Christ
Jesus gives eternal life.
John
10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither
shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Christ
gives eternal life to as many as the Father has given to Him, not one more and not
one less. Christ knows the Father's will. he came to save His people... those
whom the Father has given to Him are His, no more and no less. He knows each
one of them by name... their names have been written in the Book of Life of the
Lamb slain.
John
6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him
that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all
which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at
the last day.
John
10: 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Be
wise... and don't contradict Christ's words. He died for as many as the Father
has given to Him; and as many as he died for, he gives them eternal life at
God's approved and appointed time. He did His Father's will, and not the will
of some opinionated preachers.
-------
p/s
The
exclusion clause 'but of God' excludes every activity of the regenerated man and that of other men like the preachers.
'Not
of blood': parentage, ancestry, lineage, heritage, pedigree, descent, blood,
stock, roots - ALL are ruled out! None of them plays any role in your
regeneration!
'Nor
of the will of the flesh': anything in and of the man himself is ruled out.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. The man regenerated had been dead in
his trespasses and sin... so he played no role in his regeneration!
'Nor
of the will of man': the Pope, Rev Father, the Pastor, the Convention
President, parents, godparents, etc... ALL are excluded, even the Apostles!
None of them played any role in your regeneration.
'But
of God' - and this is a hard truth that even many children of God would reject.
They would rather attribute or conditioned their regeneration to Something plus
God.
